Chess
by Pooca
Summary: Harry takes on Ginny in a game of Chess, where the moves mirror their feelings. Not uber-fluffy, just a one-shot.


{A/N: I've put a lot of details in this—such as the fact that when Ginny gets defensive, she does a defensive move. Enjoy!}

CHESS

By Rjk2005

**

Harry wandered down to the common room late at night in his sixth year. This was beginning to become a regular occurrence: he did not feel like sleeping, he never felt like sleeping. He was always thinking about...well, he was just preoccupied. So preoccupied, in fact, he was not looking where he was going.

Harry tripped over a chair and landed on the floor with a smack. Then he heard laughing.

"Lost in thought, Harry?" Ginny picked up the fallen chair and laughed some more. Harry began to feel himself redden. Ginny attempted to stop laughing.

"Oh, but I'm sure tons have people have done that. Well..." Ginny giggled again. "Not really."

Ginny continued to stifle laughter as she helped Harry up, who suddenly began chuckling also.

"Are you winding me up?" he said in mock offense, touching a fluttery hand to his chest.

"Yes," Ginny said, completely serious until Harry sniffed haughtily, at which point the two exploded hysterically.

"What're you doing up so late?" Harry asked, after finally breathing again.

 "I wasn't tired," Ginny answered. "What about you?" 

Harry shrugged, and asked her if she wanted to play a game of Chess.

"Unless, that is, if you've got other things to do," Harry added, "Like revising for your OWLS."

"No," she waved her hand dismissively, and then frowned. "I did that all day. But at this time of night, it's...it's nice to have someone to talk with," she smiled thoughtfully and glanced at Harry's face. "It's nice to find someone who stays up as late as I do." At this she grinned and sat down at the chessboard.

"Pawn to E2. Besides, doing something, like chess, keeps me away from... er... my own thoughts..." she trailed off.

Harry's curiosity was piqued. "Knight to F6. Like what kind of thoughts?"

Her eyes darted from the chessboard to up at him, and back again. "Bishop to B2. Well...I dunno...never mind. I was just thinking before you got here, but now I'm done."

Harry looked at her expectantly. "Pawn to B5." Catching her eye, he smiled. "What's bothering you?"

"Pawn to E5." She paused. "Nothing. Why don't you sleep well? Not that _that's_ what's bothering me, but-"

Harry did not want to talk about _it_. "Knight to E5. I thought I was asking the questions." 

"Queen to E5. You _were_, but now..."

Harry gaped. She had taken his knight quite early in the game. He would have to play harder than he had anticipated.

He looked up, and saw Ginny smiling at his surprise.

"Er..." he drummed his fingers. "Bishop to A6."

"Knight to C3."

"Pawn to D5."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Like I'm going to fall for that. I've learned a lot about Chess from watching Ron play. Queen to F5."

Harry shrugged. "Queen to D6. Maybe I could, you know, help you. With what's bothering you I mean."

"King-side castle. Can't we just drop it?"

"Pawn to B4. Yeah, okay."

"Bishop to A6."

She had taken his Bishop. "We all know Ron is very good at Chess, and I guess you did learn a lot." Harry said, and Ginny smiled. "Pawn to C6."

"Bishop to C4."

Harry looked at it all, and had no idea about what to do.

"Erm...Pawn to H5?" his chess piece hesitated. "Pawn to H5."

"Harry, you've got to know what you're doing and--and just do it. What's the worst that can happen? Knight to D5."

Another Pawn disappeared. "I could lose another knight, that's the worst that can happen, just like you're about to," he smirked. "Queen to D5." He took her knight quickly.

"Tut-tut, Harry. Don't rush into things without looking. It always leads to trouble!" Ginny laughed. "Bishop to D5."

She had taken his queen. Harry gulped.

"You're going to win, aren't you?"

"Hm..." she murmured, and smiled mischievously, a lot like Fred and George.

"Not without a fight. Pawn to G6."

Ginny smiled. "Queen to C8. Checkmate."

Harry gaped. She had won.

"You just play a little too confidently, too offensively, too manly..." Ginny laughed. "Watch what's going on in your own end. Help yourself...before trying to do something else." Harry looked up suspiciously. He had heard this tone before...Christmas, last year... "Before trying to help someone else." She sobered up quickly.

"Like when I said I was having...problems...you know what I'm talking about? How during the game you automatically wanted to help me? Harry- I was hoping you'd tell me...or someone...but I...I know you're still upset about Sirius."

Harry's eyes widened and he floundered around for something to say. There was nothing. 

"I know you feel guilty. I know because I can see it in your face. Other people don't notice because they don't understand. I only know because that look was on my face for a long time. And once in awhile it comes back." Her voice cracked. 

"I can go days without thinking about it sometimes. I've stopped seeing his eyes every time I look at Hermione or Colin. But then, just when I could forget, I get the dreams again. The nightmares. I still have nightmares about him. So the guilt returns."

She looked down at her fingers, breaking the brown gaze that Harry hadn't realized had held him so transfixed. She rubbed her forefinger and thumb together. "I wrote things on walls, with these fingers. I wrote frightening messages, written in blood. Although I can't see it, I think the stain will always be there. Tom's stain." 

Harry made a motion to say something but she stopped him, seeming to snap out of her own reverie. "But Harry, you need to help yourself. Just fix your own problems."

Ginny said a short goodnight and scampered up to her dormitory. Harry sat there, his mind reeling. He had never known, never thought about it... but more importantly, she was right. He needed to help himself.


End file.
